Second Sunday of EASTER
March 30, 2008
11:00 am


THE GATHERING


PRELUDE                             Resurrection                 Larry King
                                              Lament - The Rising - Ecstasy - Reflection

*HYMN 243        Alleluia! Alleluia! Hearts to Heaven          Weisse Flaggen

*CALL TO WORSHIP                                    Robert W. Brown
One:        In the beginning, God made the world:
Women:    Made it and mothered it,
Men:        Shaped it and fathered it,
Women:    Filled it with seed and with signs of fertility,
Men:        Filled it with life and with song and variety.
One:        All that is green, blue, deep and growing,
All:        God's is the hand that created you.

One:        All that is tender, firm, fragrant and curious,
All:        God's is the hand that created you.

One:        All that crawls, flies, swims, walks or is motionless,
All:        God's is the hand that created you.

One:        All that speaks, sings, cries, laughs or keeps silence,
All:        God's is the hand that created you.

One:        In the name of the Creator God,
        let us now reach out our hands to one another.
All:        The Peace of Christ be with you.
One:        And also with you.




*A SIGN OF OUR UNITY AND RECONCILIATION
We invite you to greet those around you, wishing them
"Peace" or "the peace of Christ."




WORDS OF WELCOME










                    THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

Cole Sebastian Grant
Child of Tom and Kate Grant
Rachel and Emily Flynn, and P.J. Schoeny, Godparents

Gerald James Liam Healy
Child of Amy and Gerald Healy
Peter Racheotes and Robyn Goinsalvos, Godparents

John Christopher Eielson and William Patrick Eielson
Children of Jennifer and John Eielson
Charlotte and Elizabeth Eielson, Godparents

David Becker and Bill Bulkeley are representing the Board of Ministers and
Deacons.

INTRODUCTIONS AND ADDRESS                   Robert W. Brown and
Abigail G. Henderson

LITANY OF BAPTISM (responsively)
One:    We are gathered to present Cole Sebastian Grant, Gerald James Liam
Healy, John Christopher Eielson and     William Patrick Eielson to the
church and to dedicate them to God. What can we affirm about them?
Many:    That they are children of God and made in the image of God.
One:    As these children grow in our congregation, how will they know that
they are children of God, made in     God's image?
Many:    We will give them our love and include them in the life and ministry
of this congregation.
One:    How will they learn of the Christian faith?
Many:    Through our education programs and by our lives, we will tell them
about Abraham, the father of our     faith; about Sarah, the mother of
Isaac; about Moses and Miriam who led our ancestors out of bondage;
about Ruth's example of faithfulness; about the Jewish hope for a messiah;
about Mary and Joseph's     openness to mystery; about the Savior,
Jesus; and about the history of the church as the people of God.
One:    And what, in turn, will we expect of them?
Many:    We look forward to sitting with them at the Lord's Table, sharing
with them the costs and joys of     discipleship, learning and growing
with them in the Christian pilgrimage, and declaring with one voice     our
faith in God and God's son, Jesus.
One:    Do you, Tom and Kate, Gerry and Amy, Jennifer and John, parents, and Rachel, Emily, P.J., Peter, Robyn,     Charlotte and Elizabeth, Godparents, assume your primary responsibility for fulfilling these expectations by growing with these children in the Christian faith, helping them to become faithful members of the     church of Jesus Christ, and by offering them the nurture and support of the Christian church?
Parents/Godparents: With the help of God, we happily and genuinely accept
this serious duty.
One:    And do you, the Old South congregation, pledge to work toward
creating and maintaining a nurturing and     challenging Christian
environment for these children?
Many:    We do, for they belong to us as well.
One:    Then, may God be with us.
Many:    God help us. Amen.






THE PRAYER AND RITE OF BAPTISM

CONGREGATIONAL WELCOME (unison)
We rejoice in God's empowering love, freely given to each and all. We
welcome you, newly baptized, into the circle of love in Christ's church. We
promise to pray for you, to seek the depths of faith with you, to support
you, and to love you. We covenant with you  to love God with all our hearts,
minds, souls, and strength, and our neighbors as ourselves. Amen.

HYMN OF BAPTISM 325 (seated)            Child of Blessing Stuttgart
(Children and teachers may leave for their Church School classes.)

                        THE GIFT OF THE WORD

SCRIPTURE                          John 20:19-31       Vard Johnson

*HYMN 242                             The Strife Is O'er   Victory

SERMON   A Hoax? Or What?  James W. Crawford, Senior Minister Emeritus

*HYMN (see insert)             Thanks to the Gracious Christ         Covenant

                        OFFERING OUR PRAYERS

*CALL TO PRAYER                        Abigail G. Henderson
One:           God be with you
Many:        And also with you.
One:        May the peace of Christ dwell in your hearts.
Many:        Christ is our peace, our light, and our hope.
        (The congregation may be seated.)

PASTORAL PRAYER

THE LORD'S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors, and lead us not into
temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the
power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

PRAYER RESPONSE

                    OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS

CALL TO THE OFFERING

OFFERTORY ANTHEM     Come, Let Us with Our Christ Arise   Bruce Saylor
Come, let us with our Christ arise, the one who made both earth and skies,
who died to save the world he made, and rose triumphant from the dead;
Christ rose, the prince of life and peace, and stamped the day for ever his.

This is the day that God hath made that all may see this love displayed, may
feel the resurrection's power and rise again to fall no more, in perfect
righteousness renewed and filled with all the life of God.

Then let us render Christ his own, with solemn prayer approach the throne,
with meekness hear the gospel word, with thanks this dying love record; our
joyful hearts and voices raise and fill the courts with songs of praise.


    
-Charles Wesley, alt.

*SONG OF PRAISE
Lasst Uns Erfreuen
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Christ the Word in flesh born low; Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise Holy Spirit evermore; One God, Triune, whom we adore.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen!

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

*HYMN 245                            The Day of Resurrection
Lancashire

*THE BLESSING
James W. Crawford

POSTLUDE                          Voluntary on Easter Hymn
Calvin Hampton

Today, immediately following worship, all who are interested in a tour of
the Sanctuary are invited to meet Docent Mary Hunter at the front of the
Sanctuary.


                        TODAY AT OLD SOUTH
Welcome to Old South Church in Boston. Our faith is over 2000 years old, but our thinking is not! Old South opens its doors to the city, to tourists from
near and far, to the needy, to an array of building users, and to a
congregation (of members, friends, and family-both the curious and the
committed) who call this their church home. Join us for fellowship and
refreshments in Gordon Chapel immediately following worship.

Today's scripture reader, Vard Johnson, has been a member of Old South for
three years and serves as Chair of the Stewardship Committee.

The flowers today are given by Betty and Elizabeth Pitcher for 26 years of a
good life, one day at a time.

More than thirty volunteers are extending hospitality to visitors and
parishioners. In addition, over twenty volunteers sing in the choir, while
others teach in the Church School. If you're interested in volunteering for
hospitality tasks, please call Betty Smith at 781/721-7777; to sing with the
choir, call Harry Huff at 617/425-5146; to learn about the church school,
call Tricia Hazeltine at 617/536-1970.

Wearing name tags is a great way to facilitate community and make newcomers
feel welcomed. If you don't see a tag with your name on it, let us
know-there will be one waiting for you next Sunday!

CD recordings of today's service may be obtained by calling Jessica
Goodknight at 617/536-1970 or emailing <reception@oldsouth.org>. Sunday
sermons and worship services are also available on the Web and as podcasts at <www.oldsouth.org>.










                        NOTES ON TODAY'S MUSIC

The prelude this morning, Resurrection, is a tone poem which portrays in
freely structured fragments the four aspects of Christ's
resurrection-"Lament," "The Rising," "The Ecstasy," "Reflection." It was
written in 1981 by Larry King (1932-1990), longtime organist of New York's
Trinity Church on Wall Street. The composer writes: "Originally titled for
liturgical use, its mental conception took place during my reflective months
abroad which were punctuated with reports of and reactions to America's
changing priorities, and which reactivated my longing for the resurrection
of the social consciousness which had stopped a war and prioritized caring.
'Lament' combines the liturgical mourning of the plainsong Vinea mea electa
(O my vineyard, I planted and tended thee.and thou hast prepared a cross for
thy Savior) with a soulful expression of contemporary grief. 'The Rising'
grows quietly from this grief, using 12 tone rows and techniques to express
its cosmic nature. 'The Ecstasy' develops a populist alleluia strain with
embellishments not unlike those used in the music of the Aquarian age.
'Reflection' combines the liturgical rejoicing of the plainsong introit for
Easter Day, Haec Dies (This is the day which God has made) with the alleluia fragments."

Today, in honor of our Senior Minister Emeritus James W. Crawford, we will
sing a new hymn, the text of which was created by him; the tune, by Old
South Choir member Erik Gustafson. It was written for the 150th anniversary
celebration of the Congregational Church of Needham, and submitted as an
entry to the anniversary committee for consideration. In writing the hymn,
Jim incorporated elements of the church's mission statement into the text of
the hymn and Erik named his musical setting of the words, Covenant, to
reflect the occasion. In late 2007, Jim and Erik received word that their
entry had been selected to mark the church's year-long anniversary
celebration. On February 3, 2008, the church premiered and incorporated the
hymn into its service, both as a choral anthem and as an ending hymn
accompanied by bell choir and organ.


OLD SOUTH CHURCH IN BOSTON
MINISTERS, OFFICERS AND STAFF

Nancy S. Taylor, Senior Minister ~ Quinn G. Caldwell, Associate Minister
Harry L. Huff, Minister of Music ~James W. Crawford, Sr Minister Emeritus
Calvin Genzel, Wedding Outreach Minister ~ Janet Butler, Wedding Coordintr.
Ken Orth, Healing Prayer Service Minister
Robert W. Brown, Ministerial Intern ~ Abigail G. Henderson, Field Educ Intern
Mark S. Burrows, Theologian in Residence
Patricia Hazeltine, Church School Director v Rolanda Ward, Youth Worker
Carolyn Davis, Director, Old South Preschool
George Sargeant, Assistant Organist & Choir Director
 Willie Sordillo, Jazz Service Music Director
Peter Coulombe, Director, Old South Ringers
Amy Budka & Phil Stern, Children’s Music Directors









Wayne Davis, Moderator ~ Pamela Holland, Clerk
James Monsma, Treasurer
Phil Stern, Chair, Board of Trustees ~ Susan T. Campbell, Historian
Diane Gaucher, Senior Deacon  ~ Vicki A. Newman, Pledge Secretary
Helen McCrady, Senior Church Administrator
Amy Perry, Administrative Assistant ~ Rosemary Clarke, Accountant 
Elias Perez, Senior Sexton v Ozo Nwodo & Robert Blenman, Sextons
Jessica Goodknight, Rubia Reyes & Jim McDonnel, Receptionists

www.oldsouth.org ~ 617/536-1970

A NOTE ON THE INCLUSIVE DIMENSIONS OF GOD’S GRACE
Old South Church in Boston, in the name of its host, Jesus Christ, and in the spirit of Christ’s invitation carved into the stone of this church’s portico, “Behold I Set Before You an Open Door,” welcomes all who seek to know God.

Following the One who we believe is Sovereign and Savior, we affirm that each individual is a child of God, and recognize that we are called to be like one body with many members, seeking with others of every race, ethnicity, creed, class, age, gender, marital status, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to journey together toward the promised realm of God.



We invite everyone to join in the common life and mission of our reconciling community through participation and leadership in this congregation, and by fully sharing in the worship, rites and sacraments of this church.
As we all move forward with the work of this church, we commit ourselves to making justice and inclusivity a reality in this congregation and in the world.  On the threshold of Christ’s open door, we rely upon the healing, unconditional nature of God’s love and grace to be our help and guide.

Old South Church
645 Boylston St. Boston, MA 02116
(617)536-1970 Tel (617)536-8061 Fax